1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an underwater launch system for launching missiles or weapons, vehicles, countermeasures, etc. from an underwater vehicle, and more particularly a stackable, modular missile launch system for launching numerous small scale missiles from submarine payload bays.
2. Description of Prior Art
Traditionally, submarines have been provided with the capability of launching air borne vehicles, such as missiles, both through vertical launch via specialized launch tubes on the submarine, and horizontal launch via the submarine's torpedo tubes. In some cases, the missiles are quite large, such as the Tomahawk missile, which requires sufficient support for the large warhead on deployment.
Other smaller missiles have been developed which can be used against air borne targets, such as helicopters. However, these missiles have not been deployed from submarines because of launching considerations, such as the ability to launch multiple missiles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,179 to Buffman discloses a submarine deployable vertical launch spar buoy for launching small air nautical vehicles from submerged vehicles or platforms.
Existing submarine missile launch systems only have the ability to launch one missile from a single missile tube. If additional missile launches are required they must be fired from other independent missile tubes. The additional missile tubes are typically positioned side-by-side, adjacent to one another. The missile tubes are not positioned above each other, because the upper missile tube would block the lower missiles from launching. The current side-by-side configuration has a low packing density because of the individually dedicated missile tubes and pressure vessels required for each missile that is to be launched.
Accordingly, there is needed in the art a weapon launching system which increases packing densities to allow submarines to carry larger payloads of missiles while being low in cost to construct and operate, reliable, easy to maintain, and safe. Preferably, the weapon launching system should also be simple in design, relatively lightweight, and compact.